#2 North South Vulnerable

West   North   East   South
1♥         2♦          Pass     2NT
Pass     3NT      AP                                               

North (Dummy)
♠ A K 2
♥ 4 3
♦ K Q J 10 9 7
♣ 5 4                      

West                                       East
♠ J 8 4                                      ♠
♥ Q J 10 9 8                            ♥ 2
♦ A                                           ♦ 
♣ A 10 8 2                              ♣                                                 

South (Declarer)
♠
♥ K
♦ 4
♣  

West leads the ♥Q. East signals with the ♥2. South wins the ♥K and leads the ♦4. West wins the ♦A. What is West’s plan?

This is a “counting declarer’s tricks” hand.

West leads the ♥Q and East signals the ♥2 playing standard signals.  When West is in with the ♦A, West must stop and count declarer’s tricks.  With the ♦A out, declarer has five diamonds, two spades and two hearts (based on East’s signal at trick one) – 9 big ones. 

When a defender knows declarer has the number of tricks required for the contract in three suits, then the defender should switch to the fourth suit.  On this hand, West should lead the ♣2 when in with the ♦A.  East wins the ♣K and returns a club through Declarer’s ♣Q.  The Defense takes one diamond and four clubs for down 1!

Take a look at the entire hand:

North (Dummy)
♠ A K 2
♥ 4 3
♦ K Q J 10 9 7
♣ 5 4                     

West                                      East
♠ J 8 4                                     ♠ 7 6 5 3
 ♥ Q J 10 9 8                           ♥ 7 2
♦ A                                          ♦ 8 6 5 2
♣ A 10 8 2                             ♣ K J 9          

South (Declarer)
 ♠ Q 10 9
♥ A K 6 5
♦ 4 3
♣ Q 7 6 3

Let me hear your comments!

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